kiewicz



June 10, 1924. I

. J. KIEWI CZ BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Filed Dec. 4, 1922 lnvenTor dohn Ki ewi c I WWSLMV BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1922 a Sheets-Sheet s 5C)". Flg l F w d lnp a G Y a Joh Kiwic ATTys.

. buttonhole.

Patented June 10, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KIEWICZ, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REECE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BUTTONHOLE-SEWING MACHINE.

Application filed December 4, 1922. Serial No. 604,731.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Krnwroz, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Buttonhole-Sewing Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on thedrawing representing like parts. i

This invention relates to buttonhole sewing machines of that type in which the stitch-forming mechanism is arranged to turn bodily about a vertical axis at one end of the buttonhole thereby to form a button hole with an eye at said end, and the object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine of this type with means whereby a buttonhole can be stitched either with or without an eye, the latter type of buttonhole being commonly referred to as a straight buttonhole.

In the making of a buttonhole with a buttonhole sewing machine, the stitching on the buttonhole begins at one end of the slit and is carried down one side of the buttonhole and then back along the other side of the If the buttonhole is to have an eye then after the stitching has been carried down the first side of the buttonhole the stitch-forming mechanism is rotated bodily to carry it around the said end of the buttonhole, thus forming the eye therein and then the stitching is carried down the remaining side of the buttonhole.

My present improvements involve means whereby the stitching can'be either continued around the eye end of the buttonhole thereby to form the eye, or may be discontinued while the stitch-forming mechanism is turning around at theend of the buttonhole and may be started up again after the turn has been made, thereby to form the so-called straight buttonhole.

Another feature of my invention relates to a novel construction by which the stitchforming mechanism may be either rendered inoperative or may be continued in operation while turning around the end of the buttonhole according .to the desires of the operator, so that informing each buttonhole the operator can at will make a buttonhole with or without an. eye.

mechanism Other features of my invention Will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings I embodying my invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the mechanism for stopping the operation of the stitch-forming mechanism after stitching down one side of the buttonhole and starting it again after the stitch-forming mechanism has been turned around the end of the buttonhole;

Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views of Fig. 2, Fig. 3 showing the parts set'for forming a so-called straight buttonhole and Fig. 4 showing the parts set for forming the buttonhole with an eye,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryview showing the clutch for operating the stitch-forming and the clutch-disengaging member latched in its inoperative position, this being the position of the parts while the stitching is in progress.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the manner inwhich the clutch is released at the end of the buttonhole;

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary views showing the means for causing the clutch to be re-engaged for forming the stitches on the second side of the buttonhole;

Fig. 9 illustrates a so-called straight buttonhole Fig. 10 illustrates a buttonhole formed with an eye.

The sewing machine herein shown is provided with work-holding means by which the work is heldduring the stitching of the buttonhole. stitch-forming mechanism for forming the stitches along .the edges of the buttonhole, means for giving the workholding means and stitch-forming mechanism a relative movement first in one direction to stitch down one side of the buttonhole and'then in the other direction to stitch along the other side of the buttonhole, the stitch-forming mechanism being capable of rotating bodily through a semicircle about a vertical axis at one end of the buttonhole thereby to form the eye of the buttonhole. A sewing machine of this type is illustrated in United States Patents No. 655,637, August 7th, 1900 and No. 713,764, November 18th, 1902.

In the sewing machine herein illustrated the work-holding means comprises the usual clamp plate 1 mounted on the bed frame 2 of the machine and work clamps 3 adapted to clamp the work against the clamp plate. The stitch forming mechanism comprises the usual upper thread-handling mechanism in the form of a vertically-reciprocating upper needle 4, and an under thread-handling mechanism (not shown) mounted on a turret situated beneath the bed plate 2. This stitchforming mechanism is carried by a suitable frame 5 herein shown as having the usual over-hanging arm 6 in which the upper thread-handling mechanism is sustained, and the stitch-forming mechanism is arranged to be turned bodily about a vertical axis at each end of the buttonhole as usual in sewing machines of this type and as shown in the above-mentioned patents. This turning motion is secured through a vertical rock shaft 7 which carries at its upper end a segmental gear 8 meshing with a gear 9 associated with the upper thread-handling mechanism, said rock shaft 7 having a similar segmental gear (not shown) meshing with a gear on the turret supporting the under thread-handling mechanism, all as illustrated in said Patent No. 655,637

The relative movement of the stitch-forming mechanism and work-holding means may be accomplished either by giving a back and forth movement to the work-holding means or giving a similar movement to the stitch-forming mechanism. In the construction shown the frame 5 carrying the stitchforming mechanism is mounted to move back and forth on the bed plate 2 and thus produce the desired relativemovement between the work-holding means and stitchforming mechanism. The stitch-"forming mechanism is driven from a shaft 10 by means of a pulley 11, which is loose thereon, a suitableclutch being employed for clutching the pulley to the shaft when the stitchforming mechanism isto be operated.

The clutch herein shown is of the type illustrated in said Patent No. 713,764 and it comprises a clutch dog 12 pivoted at 98 on a hub 99 fast on the shaft 10, said clutch dog having a projection 14 adapted to engage a cam shoulder 15 formed on the portion 13 of the pulley 11. The clutch dog is acted on by a spring 16 which tends normally to hold the projection in the path of the cam shoulder 15 and so long as the projection engages the cam shoulder the shaft 10 will be coupled to the pulley 11 and will be rotated thereby. The clutch is disengaged by disengaging the projection 14: from the cam shoulder 15 and this is accomplished by bringing a head 17 into the path of the tail 18 of the clutch dog so that as said tail engages the head 17 the dog will be turned sufliciently to disengage its projection from the cam shoulder.

The head 17 is yieldingly sustained on a rocking member 19 pivoted at 20, said memher having rigid therewith a rearwardlyextending arm 21. During the operation of the'stitch-forming mechanism this rocking member 19 is held in its inoperative position, shown in Fig. 5 by means of a latch 22 engagin a projection 23 carried by the arm 21 and when in this position the head 17 is outside the path of movement of the tail 18 of the clutch dog.

The arm 21 is acted upon by a suitable spring 24: which tends to swing said arm upwardly and thereby swing the head 17 j toward the path of movement of the tail 18 of the clutch dog, so that whenever the latch 22 is released from the projection 23 said spring will function thereby throwing the head in the path of the tail of the clutch dog and bringing the stitch-forming mechanism to rest.

When the stitch-forming mechanism is started in operation the member 19 and arm 21 will be swung clockwise Fig. 1 thereby to remove the head 17 from the path of the tail 18 of the clutch dog and allow the latter to move into operative position and also to carry the projection 23 below the shoulder 25 on the latch, so as to allow the latter under the influence of the spring 26 to come into latching engagement with the projection 23 and thereby hold the parts in this position shown in Fig. 5.

Means are provided for releasing the latch from the projection 23 at the completion of the buttonhole and the construction herein illustrated for this purpose is a projection or shoulder 27 on the bed plate 2 and situated to be engaged by a screw 28 adjustably carried in the lower end of the latch 22 when the stitching on the buttonhole is completed.

In the operation of the machine it will be understood that during the forming of the stitches along the side a of the buttonhole the head 5 will be moving toward the right Fig. 1 while during the formation of the stitches along the side Z) of the buttonhole the head will be moving to the left and when the buttonhole is completed the screw 28 engages the shoulder 27 thereby releasing the latch from the projection 23 and permitting the spring 24 to function and carry the head 17 into the path 18 of the clutch dog thus disconnecting the pulley 11 from the shaft 10 and bringing the stitch-forming mechanism to rest.

The parts thus far described are or may be all as shown in the above-mentloned Patent No. 713,7 64 and form no part of my present'invention, which relates to means whereby the stitch-forming mechanism may be rendered inoperative while it is turning bodily about the end of the buttonhole after stitching along the side a. In the preferred formof my invention such means are constructed so that they may be adjusted to render the stitch-forming mechanism inoperative or allowed to continue in operation at the'will of the operator and depending upon whether the operator wishes to make a so-called straight buttonhole or a buttonhole with an eye.

To thus'provide for rendering the stitchforming mechanism inoperative while it is turning around the end 0 of the buttonhole I have provided the latch 22 with a tail 29, and have also provided an abutment 30 adapted to engage said tail when the stitching has reached the end 0 of the buttonhole thereby rocking the latch out of engagement with the projection 23 and allow the mechanism above described to disconnect the driving pulley, 11 from the shaft 10. This abutment is herein shown as a screw screwthreaded into an arm 31 that. is secured to a bracket or support 32 fastened on the bed frame 2. "It will be remembered that the latch 22.with its tail 29 is carried by the frame 5 which moves back and forth relative to the bed frame 2 and, therefore, when the frame 5 has completed its movement to the right into the position shown in Fig. 6., duringlwhich the stitching on the side a of the b uttonhole'has been completed, the tail 29 of the latch will be brought into engagement with the abutment 30 thereby disengagingthe latch from the projection 23, with the result that the shaft 10 will be unclutched from the pulley 11 and the stitchforming mechanism will come to rest. At this time the stitch-forming mechanism is turned through the semi-circle around the end 0' ofthe buttonhole but as it is not in operation no stitches will be formed around this end of the buttonhole.

' After the stitch-forming mechanism has made its half rotation the shaft 10 is again clutched to the pulley 11 so as to start the stitching mechanism in operation to form the stitches along the side I) of the buttonhole. This is accomplished as follows. The bracket or support 32 is provided with a spring-pressed latch 33, which is pivoted thereto at 34, and is provided with a nose 35 having a rounded end 36. This latch is acted on by a spring 75 and is provided with a stop pin 76 which engages the arm 31 and is held thereagainst by the action of the spring 75. Said spring 75 is anchored at one end in the support 32 and its other end extends through the pivot pin 34 so that turning of the pivot pin will flex the spring.

Said latch is so situated that just before the tail 29 is brought against the abutment 30, as shown in Fig. 6, the arm 21 has engaged the rounded edge 36 of the latch and forced the latter back and has moved into a position in which the latch may snap over the end of the lever as shown in Fig. 7. lVhen the frame 5 begins its movement in the opposite direction the nose 35 of the latch engages the inner face 37 of the lever 21 and operates as a cam to rock said lever downwardly into a position in which the shoulder 25 of the latch may engage the projection 23 and during this movement the head 17 is withdrawn from the tail of the clutch dog 12 and causing the pulley 11 to be again clutched to the shaft 10. The on gagement of the shoulder 25 with the projection 23 holds the stop mechanism inop erative until the end (i of the buttonhole is reached, at which time the latch is again automatically disengaged from the projection 23 by the engagement of the screw 28 with the shoulder 27 as above described.

I have thus provided means for auto matically rendering the stitch-forming mechanism inoperative at the end 0 of the buttonhole and after the stitches on the side a of the buttonhole have been completed and maintaining the stitch-forming mechanism inoperative while it is making its half turn about its vertical axis, and have also provided means for automatically starting the stitch-forming mechanism again at this time thereby to complete the stitching along the side 6. The result of this is the formation of a so-called straight buttonhole such as shown in Fig. 9.

My invention further involves means whereby the means for thus bringing the stitch-forming mechanism to rest at the end 0 of the buttonhole may be rendered in operative thus permitting the stitch-forming mechanism to continue in operation while it is making its half turn around the end 0 of the buttonhole, in which case a buttonhole will be made with an eye f as shown in Fig. 10. This is accomplished by mounting the abutment 30 so that it can be placed either in the path of movement of the tail 29 or out of said path of movement. hen the abutment is in the path of movement the mechanism will operate as above described to form a straight buttonhole. while when the abutment is out of the path of movement of the tail then the mechanism will operate to form the buttonhole with the eye 7 as shown in Fig. 10.

The arm 31 which carries the abutment 30 is shown as pivoted to the support 32 at 38 and it is also shown as having a fingerpiece 39 by which it may be turned about its pivot hen it is in the position shown in Fig. 3 the abutment is in the path of movement of the arm 29 so that the stitch-forming mechanism will be brought to rest at the end 0 ot the buttonhole. By turning the arm 31 into the position shown in Fig. i the abutment 30 is carried to one side of the path of movement of the tail 29 so that the latch 22 will remain in engagement with the projection 23 while the stitch-forming mechanism is turning around the eye ofthe buttonhole. In such case the stitching will be carried around the end 0 of the buttonhole thus forming the eye f, all as usual in sewing machines of this type.

77 indicates a spring-actuated retaining device carried by the arm 31 and adapted to engage in one of two depressions 78 in the bracket 32 thereby holding the arm 31 in either of its two adjusted positions.

By my invention, therefore, the operator may, at will, form a buttonhole with or without an eye simply by a movement of the finger piece 39. In operating the machine, therefore, the operator may form one buttonhole with the eye and then by simply shifting the finger piece39 the next buttonhole will be formed without the eye. This capability of forming the buttonhole with or without the eye at the will of the operator by simply shitting the member 39 one way or the other is an advantage because in making some garments it is desirable to form part of the buttonholcs thereon with an eye and part without the eye, and with the above-described construction the operator can shift from one type of buttonhole to the other without stopping the machine.

I. claim.

1. In a buttonhole sewing machine having work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism movable relative to each other and in which the stitch-forming mechanism is turnabl bodily about a vertical axis at each end of the buttonhole, the combination with said work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism, of means to render the stitch-forming mechanism inoperative at each end of the buttonhole.

2. A buttonhole sewing machine having stitchfonning mechanism and work-holding means movable relative to each other and in which the stitch-forming mechanism is turnable bodily about a vertical axis at each end of the buttonhole, the combination withsaid stitch-forming mechanism and work-holding means, of means to render the stitch-forming mechanism inoperative when the stitching has been completed on the first side of the buttonhole and while the stitch forming mechanism is turning about the end of the buttonhole.

A buttonhole sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism and work holding means movable relative to each other and in which the stitch-forming mechanism is turnable bodily about a vertical axis at each end of the buttonhole, the combination with said stitch-forming mechanism and work-holding means, of means to renderthc stitch-forming mechanism inoperative when the stitching has been completed on the first side of the buttonhole and While the stitchforming mechanism is turning about the end of the buttonhole, and to render the stitchforming mechanism operative again after it has made its half rotation whereby a buttonhole without an eye is produced. I

4'. In a buttonhole sewing machine having work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism movable relative to each other and in which the stitch-forming mechanism turns bodily about a vertical axis at, the end of the buttonhole, the combination with said work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism, of means rendered operatlve by such relative movement to render the stitchforming mechanism inoperative at each end for rendering the stitch-forming mechanism operative again after it has made its half rotation about the end of the buttonhole.

7. In a buttonhole sewing machinehavin stitch-forming mechanism and work-hol ing means movable relative to each other and in which the stitch-forming mechanism turns bodily about a vertical axis at the end of the buttonhole, th combination with said stitch-forming mechanism and Workholding means, of a clutch device through which the stitch-forming mechanism is actuated, and means to disengage the clutch after the stitching has been completed on the first side of the buttonhole,

8. The combination with the-structure described in claim 7, of means for rendering the clutch operative again after the switchforming mechanism has made its half rotation at the end of the buttonhole.

9. In a buttonhole sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism and work-holding means movable relative to each other and in which the stitch-forming mechanism is turned bodily about a vertical axis at the end of the buttonhole, the combination with 7 said stitch-forming mechanism and work holding means, of a clutch through which the stitch-forming mechanism is operated, an

automatically-operative clutch-disengaging member, a latch for holding the clutch-disengaging member inoperative, and means to release the latch when the first side of the buttonhole has been completed whereby said member becomes operative to disengage the clutch thereby bringing the stitch-forming mechanism to rest.

10. The combination with the structure described in claim 9, of means to cause the reengagement of the clutch again after the stitch-forming mechanism has made its halt rotation about the end of the buttonhole.

11. In a buttonhole sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism and workholding means movable relative to each oth er and in which the stitch-forming mechanism turns about a vertical axis at the end of the buttonhole, the combination with said work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism, of meanswhereby the operator can at will cause the stitch-forming mechanism to cease operation or to continue in operation while it makes the half turn around the end of the buttonhole.

12. In a buttonhole sewing machine having work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism movable relative to each ot er and in which the stitch-forming mechanism turns about a vertical axis at the end of the buttonhole, the combination with said Work-holding means and stitch-torming mechanism, of a clutch device through which the stitch-forming mechanism is operated and means by which the operator can render the clutch operative or inoperative while the stitch-forming mechanism is making its half turn at the end of the buttonhole whereby a buttonhole either with or without an eye can be formed.

13. In a buttonhole sewing machine having work-holding means and stitchdorming mechanism movable relative to each other and in which the stitch-forming mechanism turns about a vertical axis at the end of the buttonhole, the combination with said stitchforming mechanism and work-holding means, of a clutch through which the stitchforming mechanism is operated, an automatically operative clutch-disengaging member, a latch to hold the clutch-disengaging member inoperative, means rendered operative by such relative movement to disengage the latch at the end of the buttonhole, and means by which the last-named means can be rendered operative or inoperative at the will of the operator.

14. In a buttonhole sewing machine having work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism movable relative to each other and in which the stitch-forming mechanism turns about a vertical axis at the end of the buttonhole, the combination with said stitchiorming mechanism and work-holding means, of a clutch through which the stitchforming mechanism is operated, an automatically-operative clutch-disengaging memher, a latch to hold the clutch-disengaging member inoperative, an abutment adapted by the relative movement between the worleholding means and stitch-forming mechanism to disengage said latch at the end 01 the buttonhole, and means for rendering said abutment either operative or inoperative at the will of the operator.

15. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism movable relative to each other in the direction of the length of the buttonhole and also having a relative rotary movement at the ends of the buttonhole, of means to render the stitch-forming mechanism inoperative at each end of the buttonhole.

16. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism movable relative to each other in the direction of the length of the buttonhole and also having a relative rotary movement at the ends of the buttonhole, and means to render the stitch-forming mechanism inoperative when the stitching has been completed on the first side of the buttonhole and during the relative turning movements at said end of the buttonhole.

17. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism movable relative to each other in the direction of the length of the buttonhole and also having a relative rotary movement at the ends of the buttonhole, and means to render the stitch-forming mechanism inope ative when the stitching has been completed on the first side of the buttonhole and during the relative turning movements at said end of the buttonhole, and to render the stitchforming mechanism operative again at the completion of said turning movement.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN KIEWICZ. 

